The End of The Beginning
by mysterymaiden7
Summary: When the Titans are greeted by a traveler from the future, how will they deal with the message she brings?
1. Introduction

_Introduction  
  
In a darkened room a group of people sit in silence around a small table. Slowly a glowing green light emerges to illuminate the faces of the people present.  
  
"What are we to do?" The bearer of the light questioned urgently. Her childlike face looked worried, green eyes aglow with anticipation. Her black outfit contrasted sharply with her red hair, caught in a long braid, falling past her waist.  
  
"We need to move now!" A large, muscular man spoke up. The metal components of his body glinted in the light, his circuits sizzling with blue lights. His single red eye darting around the table to rest on each of the members in turn, "Nightwing, come on man. We have to act now. If we don't, it might be too late."  
  
"But we haven't tested it. We don't know if it's safe." A cloaked figure spoke up. Her white cloak hid her eyes in shadow, her body concealed beneath it's folds.  
  
"I am willing to take the risk." The red-head spoke up once again. "In order to prevent Slade's take-over we must act soon. We have to give them some time to prepare."  
  
"I don't know..." The man sitting to the red-head's left rubbed his hand over his face. His dark outfit was accented by the light blue figure of a bird, emblazoned on the front. His dark hair covered his face as he shook his head.  
  
"I have traveled through time before." She protested quietly, "I am the only we know for sure that will not age in the time warp. To send anyone else at this point would be foolish."  
  
"We don't have much of a choice." The final member of the group spoke up, "If we don't send Star now it will be too late to send her later." He shifted slightly, his muscles straining against the fabric of his skin-tight outfit.  
  
"I am going." She told Nightwing quietly, "I realize I could be putting myself at risk, but would it not be worse to allow this future to be created from mistakes that could have been prevented?"  
  
He set a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know you're right Star. I just don't want to lose you."  
  
They exchanged a gentle hug before standing.  
  
"How soon can the 'T' Machine we prepared?" Nightwing asked.  
  
"A five minutes or so, give or take a couple. And that's assuming Slade doesn't figure out what we're doing." Cyborg responded. Nightwing nodded in understanding.  
  
"Raven and BB will hold off any intruders Slade might send to try and stop us. Send Star back to the past as quickly as possible. She needs all the time she can get. Good luck Cy." Cyborg nodded.  
  
"Where are you going?" Nightwing watched Star for a moment before responding to her question.  
  
"I'm going to make sure Slade doesn't interfere." She stepped forward and gave him a long kiss before releasing him.  
  
"Be safe."  
  
"I will." He whispered, gently squeezing her before turning to Cyborg, "Don't forget to give her the teleporter. She's got to be able to get back in case this goes wrong."  
  
"Everything is going to be fine." Cyborg gave Nightwing a quick clap on the shoulder before he exited.  
  
"We'll go out and make sure no one interrupts." Raven murmured quietly. Slowly, she glided over and gave Star her a hug, Then, probably embarrassed at the act of emotion she added gruffly, "Don't screw this up, we're counting on you." Then in a barely audible voice she added, "Come back safe."  
  
Squeezing her friend gently in return Star laughed quietly, "With friends like you, how could I fail?"  
  
Raven released her abruptly and glided to the exit, wiping her eyes roughly, standing by the doorway with her back turned, waiting for Beast Boy to join her.  
  
Beast Boy held out his hand and Star clasped her hand in his, "Good luck Star."  
  
"I will do my best to succeed." She said, wishing she could offer a more definite response.  
  
"I know you will." He released her hand and walked over to where Raven waited. Taking her hand, they both left the room, melting into the darkness outside.  
  
"Star?" Cyborg said, gently tapping her shoulder, "It's ready." She took a deep breath and turned to face the machine.  
  
A large circle of metallic substance greeted her, crackling electricity racing along it's surface. Slowly, the two conjoining pieces of metal inside began to spin, forming a blur of cracking light.  
  
"It's ready." Cyborg told her, typing something in on a keypad near him, "It's set back to the exact day. You only have a few hours to convince them."  
  
Starfire nodded and stepped forward to enter the ball of energy.  
  
"Star?" Cyborg stopped her with a hand on her arm, "I know you and I are the only ones that know, but think about this for a moment, you can never come back to our time. You'll be stuck there forever. I know we told the others you could come back, but I could tell them I can't get the machine running, and we could wait until-"  
  
"I understand the risks Cyborg. Thank you for being my friend one final time, caring enough to release me from this. But you all are counting on me. To save you all I would do anything. Just... Tell Nightwing how much I care about him, and tell Raven and Beast Boy I'm sorry I didn't ever tell them how much they mean to me... And Cyborg?"  
  
"Yes?" He whispered, looking at the ground.  
  
"Whatever you may think about this mission, know that it was my choice. Mine. Thank you for being my friend." Gently placing a quick kiss on the top of his head, she released his hand, a tear falling to the round as she did so. Without hesitation she stepped into the swirling ball and disappeared._

OOOOO

**Authors Note:** I feel I should probably respond to a few of the reviews I've been getting.My last story (Nightmare) was a complete fabrication. Every fear the Titans experianced came directly from my mind, although in order to decide on the fears they experianced, I picked up peices of information I already knew about them. Killing off my characters would have probably been a bad idea, because, then what would I do? I think that answers the major questions, please continue reviewing!

MysteryMaiden7


	2. Visitor

Chapter 1  
  
"Over here!" Beast Boy waved his hands frantically, trying to attract Starfire's attention, "Toss the ball to me!" Star flew up over Robin's head, tossing the football to Beast Boy. Cyborg jumped up to intercept, but Beast Boy transformed into a giraffe, his long neck enabling him to snag the ball long before it even came close to hitting Cyborg's outstretched hands. Changing to a cheetah, he took off to the end of the field, the ball clamped firmly in his jaws.  
  
"Come on Cyborg! Stop him!" Robin yelled over Star's cheering.  
  
Beast Boy skidded to a stop in the end-zone and smugly set the ball down on the ground. Panting, Cyborg came to rest beside him. Starfire's enthusiastic cheering only increased as she swooped Beast Boy up into a hug.  
  
"We are victorious!" She cried happily.  
  
Freeing himself from Star's death grip on him, Beast Boy stepped back and grinned at Cyborg and Robin.  
  
He put his arms over their shoulders, purposely rubbing it in, "We won, you guys are stuck doing the dishes for a week!" The boy's protests of just 'one more game,' were ignored by a laughing Beast Boy.  
  
Starfire floated over to Raven, who was meditating under the shadow of a large tree, "Friend! Come join in the celebration of our victory!" She gave Raven a quick hug and stood back to await her decision.  
  
"Raven opened one eye, "I think I'll pass."  
  
"Please friend!" Starfire begged, tugging on her arm and attempting to pull her along. Raven didn't move an inch. Finally, she sighed.  
  
"I suppose I could for a little bit."  
  
"Glorious!" Starfire exclaimed, giving her another bone-crunching hug.  
  
"Star- I need to be able to breathe...!"  
  
"Forgive me!" Star released her hurriedly, blushing slightly. The boys left in the direction of the Tower, still arguing. Starfire smiled happily. "Come along friend!" Tugging Raven's arm, she managed to steer her in the direction of the Tower.  
  
OOOOO  
  
_"It's done. She heading back." Cyborg told Raven and Beast Boy as he exited the lab.  
  
"She's gone?" Raven asked slowly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cyborg... Is there something you aren't telling us about all this?" Beast Boy asked hesitantly, putting his hand on Raven's shoulder, "We both think... Well, that you and Star were hiding something from the rest of the Titans."  
  
"I- Why would you think that?"  
  
"Come on man, we know you. There's something wrong isn't there?"  
  
Cyborg's shoulders drooped. "Yeah... There is."  
_  
OOOOO  
  
A sudden burst of light interrupted their departure. A quick, harsh wind, whipped Raven's cloak around as she turned back to the source. Star's hair whipped across her eyes as she watched.  
  
A figure emerged from the swirling mass of light. Star threw her arm up to shade her eyes from the light. Raven stood impassive, her hood effectively managing to block most of the light.  
  
The light slowly faded, leaving in it's wake a young women, her back to the Titans.  
  
Starlet out a quiet gasp and the figure turned. A grin spread across the older women's face.  
  
"I don't believe it... It worked!" She shook her head in complete astonishment, "God... You're just as I remember..."  
  
"What's going on?" Star asked Raven in puzzlement.  
  
The women's smile disappeared in a flash. "I almost forgot. I need to speak with you and the other Titans."  
  
"Wait, wait." Raven interrupted, "You come in here like some freak out of Kansas and expect us to just come with you?"  
  
"You're right. I'm not explaining myself very well. But, please, for a moment you need to trust me. I must speak with all of you to explain myself."  
  
Starfire hovered around the stranger for a moment, "Have we... met?"  
  
_Star noticed it too?_ Raven was certain she had never met this women before, but she couldn't shake the feeling she knew her.  
  
Star took a deep breath while the stranger stood, quietly awaiting their decision. "We should take her back with us."  
  
"Star-!"  
  
"Raven, I do not know why, but I trust her. She means us no harm." Star landed beside the women, holding out her hand, "I am Starfire, and my friend is Raven."  
  
The women took Star's hand, biting back what looked like a grin. "I am quite happy to meet you."  
  
She dropped Star's hand a moment later, her face turning once again serious. "But I don't have much time to explain. We have to catch the other Titans now."  
  
"They went back to-"  
  
"The Tower, I know. Let's go."  
  
With a look of astonishment, the other Titans watched as the stranger lifted off the ground. Something tickled the back of Raven's mind. _Why does that look so familiar?  
_  
"Come on. I know you have a lot of questions, but I'll answer them all when we get to the Tower, but trust me when I say we need to hurry."  
  
Star and Raven took off after her without another word. The women didn't even turn back to ask for directions, she seemed to know exactly where she was going.  
  
_How does she know where the Tower is?_ Raven caught herself wondering. She glanced over to catch Star's eye, guessing the other girl was wondering much the same thing.  
  
Without even slowing her assent, the women landed on the roof of Titan Tower.  
  
"Your friends will probably perceive me as a threat. Try to explain to them that I mean you no harm before they manage to injure me."  
  
_What is she-?_ Raven turned at the sound of the other Titans approach. Cyborg and Beast Boy launched themselves at the stranger, while Robin hurried over to the girls.  
  
"Are you two okay? We saw you chasing her, and we knew you needed help, but we didn't think-" While the girls hurried to explain, Cyborg and Beast Boy remained oblivious to their conversation.  
  
The women didn't miss a beat, flipping backwards to avoid Cyborg's cannon blast and ducking to avoid Beast Boy's charge. She grabbed the shape-shifter by the back legs, setting her foot on his chest to keep him from escaping, and effectively disarming Cyborg in three moves, pinning his arms behind his back.  
  
"Is everything settled?" She inquired calmly, meeting Robin's eyes.  
  
"Yes." Raven responded in her usually toneless voice.  
  
The women released Cyborg and stepped back to offer Beast Boy a hand up. He took it, an annoyed look on his face.  
  
"Okay, would someone explain to me what's going on?"  
  
"I think we'd all like to know that." Robin told her, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Of course. I've delayed too long as it is." She began pacing back and forth over the roof, her hands clasped behind her back. All of a sudden Robin was struck by the feeling of deja-vu that both Raven and Star had been experiencing.  
  
"Okay, there's not really anything I can say that will make you believe me, but you have to try and believe this is the truth." She took a deep breath and faced them. "I'm from the future." 


	3. The Future

Chapter 3  
  
Cyborg let out a slow, tentative laugh. "Yeah, right."  
  
"Is it so hard to believe?" She asked softly, "One of your own has already traveled back in time. Why is it so hard to believe I could have done the same?"  
  
"How did you know that I have traveled back into time?" Star inquired.  
  
"Because..." Raven whispered, her eyes widening as everything clicked into place, "She's... you."  
  
"Please explain yourself friend Raven. Because if this is a joke, it is not a very amusing one."  
  
"No joke Star." Robin said, his eyes widening, "Can't you see the resemblance?"  
  
The woman- Starfire, smiled. "Very good Raven. I didn't think you'd recognize me. Although things will be simpler now that you have."  
  
"How did you... I mean... Well, what I mean is..." Beast Boy stuttered, still trying to make sense of everything.  
  
"I was sent back in time to give you a warning. Cyborg, the older Cyborg that is, built a... time-machine I suppose you'd call it, though it's more complicated than that. We were supposed to test it before we launched someone back in time, but our enemy launched a major attack, forcing us to send one of us back in time before it was tested. I volunteered, because, as you know, the time warp doesn't affect my age as it might have, if one of the others tried it."  
  
"That's all great, but what does it have to do with us? That's not going to happen for years to come." Robin said tentatively.  
  
"If I succeed, it shouldn't happen at all."  
  
The older Star began pacing again, "I was sent back to try and prevent the event that led to the creation of that future. My presence here should affect what happens in my future. Although we need to work fast."  
  
"Wait a minute! What exactly are we fighting against?"  
  
"You're right. I forget you guys have no knowledge of the battle." She rubbed her temples. "I wish Raven was here... She was always better at this than me..."  
  
The Titans all glanced at each other. Each thinking the same thing: Another, older, Raven?  
  
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "At least twenty years ago, that would be my time, at least two years in the future for you, Slade launched a major attack against the city. He destroyed everything in his path, wrecking havoc everywhere. We, the Titans, tried to stop him, but he had advanced weapons, information on our weaknesses, on our battle strategies. No one knew where he had gotten the information, but by then it didn't matter. Slade had taken over the city and the Titans were captured. Those days were... horrible. We were tortured, separately of course, Slade wouldn't even allow us the small pleasure of being together. He mocked us constantly, using psychological torture as much as physical. He told us, our friends were dead, our families were as well, we would never escape, we..."  
  
She stopped at the looks on the Titans faces. "I'm sorry. I just... none of us have really gotten over it. Anyway, eventually, with the help of the Atlantians we all escaped. We were battered, bruised and hurt, physically and emotionally, but we were alive. The Atlantian home world was slowly being invaded. Earth had already been taken over, the few remote Titans, Speedy, Hot Streak, Wildabeest, and the others- all dead. Slade had tracked them down one by one and killed them. Aqualad was the last. He had rallied the Atlantians into attacking to try and prevent the overthrow of the Atlantian's home world, but they failed. Aqualad died in the final battle."  
  
She took a deep breath, seeming to push away the painful memories. "By that time the Titans had recovered and were fighting again. We would stop Slade here or there, mess up a few of his plans, but he had made so much progress during the time we were imprisoned that our efforts made little difference in his overall plans."  
  
"By then, each of the Titans had changed dramatically. The combination of our fight to survive and our constant battles pushed us to our limits. Robin eventually abandoned his childhood and became Nightwing. Cyborg outfitted himself with a much more deadly arsenal of weapons. Beast Boy grew up, he doesn't even joke anymore... Raven managed to gain full control of her powers. And I... Well, I grew to understand that the world is full of horrible things, not good."  
  
A single tear trailed down her face. "I'm sorry." She told the Titans. "It just... is so good to see you all. The way we used to be. Before Slade."  
  
OOOOO  
  
_"She can't get back?" Beast Boy asked in disbelief. Cyborg mutely shook his head.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Raven whispered, her eyes wide.  
  
"She wanted it that way. She said you would have tried to stop her." Cyborg muttered numbly.  
  
"Of course we would have stopped her! What was she thinking?!" Raven hissed, each lightbulb in the street lamps exploding one by one.  
  
"Calm down." Beast Boy whispered, putting an arm around her.  
  
"My best friend is stuck in the past forever and you want me to calm down?!" She tugged free of his grip and turned away from them, her shoulders hunched, her face concealed beneath her hood.  
  
"And you let her do this?" Beast Boy said, angrily rounding on Cyborg.  
  
A spark of his old spirit came back, "I didn't let her do anything! It was her choice!" Cyborg slumped again, "That's what she said just before she left, it was her choice."_


	4. Slade's Plan

Chapter 4  
  
"What happened next?" Star whispered, watching her older self wipe the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Then? We continued, trying futilely to push Slade back, and continuing to fail. Eventually, we realized our efforts were coming to nothing. We were meeting in alleys, old buildings, wherever we could find. We were crumbling beneath Slade."  
  
"What about the Tower?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"Fallen." Starfire said, shaking her head, "Around the time Altantis was destroyed. We reclaimed it for a time after we escaped, but Slade knew all our weaknesses by then. We tried to bolster our defenses, but Slade slammed through them within hours and destroyed it."  
  
"We realized nothing could be done to repair what Slade had done. But then, Cyborg suggested the 'T' Machine. His last great invention. He suggested sending one of us back through time to prevent the incident that started the chain reaction in the first place. And as you can see, I was the one sent back."  
  
"So what is it that we have to do differently?" Robin asked, the other Titans wide-eyed after the story.  
  
Star gave them a wane smile. "Today, Slade is going to attack, he will attempt to capture one of you, under no circumstances are you to allow this to happen. In my past, Slade captured that person. We did not realize until later that Slade had used a machine to extract thoughts and memories from this person's subconscious, giving him a direct link into our strengths and weakness, the defense of our Tower, even little things became his greatest weapons. He staged a battle, in which we managed to retrieve the person, but by then it was too late. No one was aware of what had happened, and unknowingly we stood by and allowed Slade to plan for two years for his greatest attack ever."  
  
"Who was captured?" Beast Boy asked, looking around at his friends.  
  
"It does not matter. Any one of your memories would give Slade sufficient knowledge to destroy you."  
  
"Who was captured?" Robin repeated.  
  
The older Star stared at him for a moment, "You were, Robin."  
  
The other Titans looked amazed for a few minutes.  
  
"That, that cannot be correct..." Star stammered, "Slade wishes Robin to be his apprentice, why would he release Robin to us if that was true?"  
  
"Because it didn't matter to him any longer. Having Robin as his apprentice was a desire more than a part of his plans. It also provided the time Slade needed to plan his attack. He lay low for awhile, not until later did we realize he was planning something. By the time we attacked, his plans were almost fully formed."  
  
Satr shook her head, her braid whisking back and forth across her back. "But again, any one of you could provide Slade with ample knowledge. Who was captured in my time is irrelevant. It matters who is captured now, in this time. And that we prevent it."  
  
"But how?" Raven asked, "If what you're saying is true, how can we hope to prevent anything?"  
  
"Last time, we were battling alone, without the knowledge of when or how Slade was going to attack, now that you have that knowledge we just have to figure out how to use it to our advantage."  
  
"Wait a minute, we? Aren't you going back to wherever you came from?"  
  
"I... can't."  
  
OOOOO  
  
_"What does Nightwing think about this?" Beast Boy asked Cyborg.  
  
"He doesn't know. Hopefully, he will never will. If Star succeeds, this time and place will be obliterated, to create space for a new future. None of us will exist, and it won't matter."  
  
Beast Boy took a deep breath, glancing over at Raven's still form.  
  
"And if she doesn't?"  
  
"Then we will continue to fight a futile battle. Only this time, there will be no Starfire to help us." Angrily, Beast Boy slammed his hand against the wall next to him.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us this before?!"  
  
"Because we have no choice. Star knew that. That's why she took the risk to save us all."_


	5. Memories

Chapter 5  
  
"What do you mean you can't?" Cyborg asked, "Didn't I... Well, the older me, set up a way for you to get back to your time?"  
  
Starfire was obviously distressed, brushing her bangs out of her eyes with hurried motions. "Look, in the long run it won't matter. My influence in the past should change your future. I will never exist and neither will the other older Titans. We will only exist through you all, as you grow, the influences you encounter will affect who you become. Because they won't be the same ones we went through, you will grow up to be different people."  
  
She sighed. "In plain English, when I warned you, I changed the course of the future. My time and the people that existed around me will be changed because of my influence. We won't exist. A different future will occur. Just like we planned."  
  
"So you're basically making sure you don't survive. As soon as we change the what happens at this battle, you will... die?"  
  
"I suppose you could think of it that way. I will cease to exist, fade from this plane of reality completely. But to really die, I would need to exist, and I do. In Starfire. Your Starfire. But after today, I won't be a reality anymore. Just a memory."  
  
The Titans looked at each other, each exchanging looks with the others.  
  
"So," Starfire forced a small grin, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended on the group, "You've heard my story. Will you help me Titans?"  
  
"Of course we will help!" Starfire exclaimed. "If our older selves believe we have the skills to carry out this mission, we must certainly try!"  
  
One by one the other Titans nodded.  
  
The older Starfire took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Oh good... Well, BB would say, hard part done- time to relax, but we still have a lot to do. Although I have to say convincing you took longer than I expected."  
  
"Well, you have to admit your story is a little hard to swallow." Robin pointed out.  
  
"True enough." She admitted, "If a complete stranger walked up to me and began blabbing all this nonsense, I'd think they were nuts."  
  
Cyborg let out a laugh and the rest of the group dissolved in giggles, breaking the tension that had been stifling the group since the older Starfire's arrival.  
  
"I haven't done that in a while. Not much to laugh at where I'm from." Star said, once the group had settled down.  
  
"So what's Slade's plan? How's he going to attack?" Robin asked, pulling the group back to the matter at hand.  
  
Star shook her head. "The information I have already given you was all from the memories I have. Slade's attack was not something I witnessed, merely heard about. If my memories are as they were, I... Well, your Starfire, was planning on getting pizzas to celebrate the victory of a football game... As it is, I interrupted that. So she did not leave. However, I did. I was gone when the battle began and ended. I was only part of Robin's rescue mission. Slade's attack strategy is as much a mystery to me as it is to you."  
  
"So you don't know what's going to happen?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.  
  
She shook her head silently. "That does not mean that we will be unprepared. We will challenge Slade on our territory, giving us the advantage. And I... Starfire will be here to help you, unlike last time."  
  
Robin nodded. "We need to prepare."  
  
"Good. I will remain out here, making sure nothing is amiss. You may retire inside and discuss these revelations with your friends. I will notify you should anything happen."  
  
Robin reached for his belt, "Well then you'll need..."  
  
"A communicator?" She said, smiling slightly as she pulled one out of her belt, "Cyborg made some modifications to mine, but it should still work on the same frequency."  
  
"Then we're all set." Robin said, glancing around at his teammates. They filed off the roof, leaving Star behind.  
  
She sighed, glancing up at the sky. The noise of a door opening made her turn. The younger Starfire shut the door once again, and walked over to join her older self.  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I do not mean to intrude on your thoughts... But if you do not mind, I have a few questions."  
  
"Please, sit down, I don't mind."  
  
Star took a seat next to her, hugging her knees to her chin. "You seem sad. May I ask why this is so?"  
  
"You wouldn't really understand. For you... for me, when I was you... This is confusing, but please bear with me. I didn't understand the terrors the world could hold. Small fears, such as losing my friends, worries about enemies attacking, being afraid I wouldn't fit in... Those were normal. Easy to deal with. But not so much back then. I can think back on what you're facing now and laugh, just wishing I had those problems. But I've seen so many horrible things in my life... I won't burden you with them, just know that I have had nightmares every night of my life since Aqualad rescued us from Slade. My heart... hurts. All the time. I know there must be good somewhere out there, but the world is so dark for me, it's hard to see it anymore."  
  
She took a deep breath and gazed at the sky once again. "Even little things, like the sun... The smog from all Slade's machines obliterated any sky we could see a long time ago. My friends are the only hope the few remaining resistance has, but even we are falling. Slowly but surely. Our resolve is weakening, we won't be able to hold out much longer. This is our last chance. In more ways than one. If this mission fails, we... they, may not have the will to keep fighting against Slade."  
  
"And I can't help thinking, that if I had been there that day, this day... this may never have happened. I didn't say anything to the other Titans, but Robin became quieter after his capture. More so than he is now. He recoiled from us, almost as if he was afraid of hurting us. We did everything we could think of to break down the shell he had developed around himself. But it only grew stronger when he realized he had betrayed us to Slade. When he was taken... He gave up, nothing seemed to matter to him anymore. That hurt more than knowing we were all going to die, without ever telling each other what our friendships meant to us."  
  
"When we escaped, Robin was changed. He wasn't the Robin you know anymore. He was different, hardened. The brutality Slade had forced on us had changed us all, but Robin most of all. That's when he became Nightwing. It... frightened us at first, how much he had changed. He locked his emotions away from us, keeping us all in the dark about what had happened to him."  
  
Starfire broke off and faced her younger self, her eyes spilling over with tears. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be burdening you like this. These memories are mine, and I should be the one to carry them, not tell you my nightmares."  
  
"No." Star wiped the tears off her older self's face, "You were right to tell me. So I can truly know what we are fighting for."  
  
A loud crash interrupted them.  
  
"Slade! Get the others! Quickly!"  
  
The older Starfire took off, flying toward the source of the noise.  
  
Star zipped down the stairs and into the common room, where the other Titans had already leapt to their feet.  
  
"What is it?" Robin asked hurriedly.  
  
"Slade! We must go quickly!"  
  
The Titans instantly ran out of the room.  
  
Exiting the Tower, they ran straight into a barrage of robots.  
  
Starfire flew over their heads, her eyes glowing green, "Titans! You have to stick together! Fight them off together!"  
  
Slade approached, laughing from the driver's seat of a massive robot. "Well, well Titans, it seems you have gained a new member... I will just have to destroy her as well."  
  
The Titans put their backs to each other, encircled by the hordes of robots. "Remember Titans, stick together..." Robin muttered, "Attack!" 


	6. The End

Chapter 6  
  
_"She risked everything... for us." Beast Boy repeated numbly. Raven made a teeny noise that, coming from anyone else, would have sounded like a sob. Beast Boy abandoned the conversation with Cyborg, walking over to enfold her in his arms.  
  
"She's gonna' be fine..." He soothed, not even completely certain himself. He could feel her shivering through her cloak as he tightened his arms around her, gently stroking her back.  
  
"How do you know?" She asked, refusing to be comforted.  
  
"I don't..." He said, faltering slightly. He could feel the tension in her body, as he continued to try and soothe her, "But this is Starfire. She'll find a way to get back to us..."  
  
Raven quieted, relaxing into his arms. Cyborg had the sense to retreat quietly to survey another part of the building. Beast Boy tilted his head, trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes beneath her hood, to know what she was thinking.  
  
"She's my best friend... I don't think I could stand it if I lost her. Not after everything we've been through."  
  
"I know, I feel the same way, but she made the decision to save us. She had to know what she was doing,"  
  
"Then why would she do it?" Beast Boy could feel her body beginning to tense again, he did the only thing he could think of. Titling her head, he pressed his lips against hers. After a few moments of tense surprise she tremblingly returned the kiss. Beast Boy broke away from her gently, refusing to release her from his arms.  
  
"She did it because she loves us all."  
_  
OOOOO  
  
"I don't think we can fight them off for much longer!" Robin panted, slamming his staff into yet another robot. But they kept coming, beating their defenses down with their sheer numbers. Starfire continued to throw starbolt after starbolt, fighting doggedly alongside her older self.  
  
The only one who didn't seem fatigued by the fight was the older Starfire. Her powers had obviously progressed from that of her younger self. She could control long bursts of energy, sweeping over the robots like a laser, destroying masses of them in one stroke. She tried her hardest to keep the brunt of the battle away from the Titans, but there were so many, it was beginning to wear on her. _I wish the others were here!_ She caught herself thinking more than once, each thought giving her a renewed burst of energy. _If I don't succeed, they're finished, and this is my chance to make up for my mistake all those years ago. I couldn't save you then Robin, but I can save you now.  
_  
She gathered the last of her energy, the raging green in her mind growing to consume her. _Raven! I know you're there! Listen, you have to form a barrier around the other Titans! Hurry!  
_  
In the back of her mind she could feel Raven's confusion. _Please! You have to protect them!_ Without a second thought, Raven threw up a shield of mental energy, consuming the Titans in a blaze of black.  
  
"Star?" Her older self grasped for the younger's hand. "I need your help." Catching her hand, Starfire nodded.  
  
"Anything."  
  
Unable to hold the blaze of power back any longer, she gasped, "Hold on..." Before it raged to consume her completely.  
  
Star screamed at the energy that raged through her, blasting from her to consume the robots in a burning mass. The intense glow faded, leaving a burned shell. Nothing moved, not even the slightest ripple. Only a black ball in the center of the battlefield remained untouched.  
  
A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she looked back to see the older Starfire watching her.  
  
"I'm sorry. I should have warned you what was about to happen. I needed a channel for the energy I was about to release. I have never tired that before, but I am glad it worked." Both floated to the ground, stumbling slightly as they landed.  
  
"I am uninjured, merely surprised."  
  
The black glow faded, revealing the forms of her friends. They looked astonished and Robin hurried over to Star.  
  
"Are you all right?" How did you manage to defeat all of them?"  
  
Leaving Star to explain, the older Star walked over to where Beast Boy and Cyborg were helping Raven to stand. Gently extending her hand, she laid it on the girl's shoulder.  
  
I wish I could have prepared you for that.   
  
It was a strain, but I'm fine.   
  
It was much more than a strain my young friend. I do not know if even my Raven could have held a defense against a blast such as that. To risk yourself to save your friends, and to have them never know what you went through is... difficult. But I know, and I am proud to be your friend. Past, present, or future.   
  
Squeezing her shoulder, Star left Raven alone with her thoughts. "She requires silence in order to meditate," She told the others, "Please carry her to her room."  
  
Cyborg and Beast Boy carried her to her room as Starfire returned to join Robin and her younger self.  
  
"I don't see Slade." She said, voicing the concern that had been on her mind since speaking with Raven.  
  
"We were just considering the same thing..." Robin said, frustration creeping into his voice.  
  
The older Star suddenly let out a tiny moan, falling to her knees on the ground.  
  
"Are you all right?" Both Titans moved to help her up, but as they stooped to grab her their hands passed right through her.  
  
"What-?" Gaping in shock they stared at her.  
  
"My time is up... Slade didn't capture anyone... We prevented my future from being created... Everything is going to be fine now..." She looked up at Starfire, her body already becoming see-through. "Tell Raven... Tell her I will miss her. And Robin? Don't be afraid. Just say what you feel, everything will work out fine. Tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that they have always been important to me. I just wish.. I could have said these things to the others..."  
  
"You just did." Star whispered, ducking to press her hand against the other Star's fast disappearing one, "We won't forget."  
  
Just as she faded completely, she gave them a small smile, "Oh, and tell Cyborg and Beast Boy that there's a secret passage on level nine of Demon Wars 2, it teleports you to an ultra-secret level. I know they've been trying to find it for ages..." Her laugh hung in the air long after she had disappeared...  
  
OOOOO  
  
**Author's Note:** Hopefully in my upcoming stories I will answer any questions you may have about this story. I am going to write the Pre-qual to "The End Of The Beginning." (Just think of this as a Star Wars thing and we'll all be fine.) It will explain the story of what happens before Starfire came back from the future. The whole story on what would have happened if Slade really had captured Robin that faithful day. It will all take place in the future, starting with Robin's capture and ending with Starfire being sent back to the past and whatever comes in between. (It will also fill in all the gaps Starfire left in the plot during her telling of the story!) I should be good. (Not to mention long) So don't miss it!  
  
MysteryMaiden7 


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